Indiannapolis Failure to Diagnose Cauda Equina Syndrome

Cauda Equina Syndrome Lawyer

Did your medical provider fail to diagnose your cauda equina syndrome? The results of this mistake can be catastrophic, potentially leaving you incontinent or even paralyzed. If this happened to you, you may be entitled to compensation for your healthcare provider’s negligence.

The Indiana cauda equina syndrome misdiagnosis lawyer at the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson can help you demand accountability. After a devastating medical error, you need solid legal guidance. That’s what you’ll get when you call our office. When you come to us at your worst, you’ll get us at our best.

Call us today for a free consultation about how we can help.

How Our Cauda Equina Syndrome Misdiagnosis Lawyer Can Help You

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome, you need an experienced medical malpractice lawyer to handle your case. You need Kelley J. Johnson fighting for you.

When you trust her with your case, you’ll get the benefit of her decades of experience in obtaining compensation for the patients and families who negligent healthcare providers have severely harmed. Our law firm has recovered millions in settlements and awards for injured clients. We focus on medical malpractice cases, and we have deep experience winning them.

When you hire the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson, you will work with Kelley directly, who will treat you and your family with compassion and care. Here’s what one of our satisfied clients said about working with us:

“Kelley is absolutely phenomenal. She was one of the only lawyers to truly look at my potential case. She took my case and helped me push through to a great outcome. I highly recommend her and her firm. Kelley and Janet kept me updated, always assisted me with any questions, and didn’t treat me like a number. Kelley truly cares about her clients. I am very happy with what the outcome of my case was.” ‒ Cody S.

Here are some of the practical steps we can take on your behalf:

  • Investigate the circumstances of your injury
  • Obtain medical records
  • Identify all potentially liable parties
  • Gather evidence to prove liability and the full extent of your damages
  • Engage expert witnesses
  • Build a compelling case
  • Manage all communications with the at-fault party and their insurer
  • Calculate the true value of your case
  • Negotiate with the insurance company for a full and fair settlement
  • Represent you in court or the Indiana Patient’s Compensation Fund if the insurer won’t offer an appropriate settlement

Finally, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll pay for a lawyer. We work on contingency, which means we charge no money up front. We will take our fee as an agreed-upon percentage of your award or settlement. Our interests are aligned with yours. If you don’t get paid, we don’t either.

What Is Cauda Equina Syndrome?

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare, serious medical emergency that occurs when the cauda equina, the bundle of nerve roots at the bottom of the spinal cord, becomes compressed. These nerves control sensory and motor functions in the legs, bowels, bladder, and pelvic organs.

CES is a surgical emergency. Prompt decompression is critical to preventing permanent nerve damage. If not treated immediately, CES can result in paralysis, loss of bladder and bowel control, and chronic pain. Delayed treatment can result in irreversible disability, including permanent bladder and bowel incontinence, chronic neuropathic pain, and permanent numbness.

There are two types of CES: Incomplete cauda equina syndrome (CES-I), which causes partial loss of sensation and varying degrees of bladder control loss, and complete cauda equina syndrome (CES-R), which causes bowel incontinence and/or urinary retention or incontinence. CES can be either acute, with sudden onset symptoms that require surgery within 24-48 hours, or chronic, where the symptoms are long-lasting and have caused permanent nerve damage.

Common causes of CES include disc herniation, infection, lower back injuries, postoperative lumbar spine surgery complications, spinal hemorrhages, lumbar spinal stenosis, lower back injuries, and spinal lesions or tumors.

Cauda equina syndrome affects one in 30,000 to 100,000 people in the world annually. About three percent of all herniated disc injuries give rise to CES.

How Failure to Diagnose Occurs

When healthcare providers overlook red-flag symptoms, they can misdiagnose CES. Symptoms of CES include the following:

  • Numbness in the “saddle” area (groin, genitals, and buttocks)
  • Lower back pain with sciatica
  • Urinary retention or incontinence
  • Leg weakness or paralysis
  • Bowel dysfunction

Patients presenting with these symptoms in the emergency department require prompt diagnosis and an immediate MRI to confirm cauda equina. If a healthcare provider does not perform a thorough neurological physical examination that includes assessing for “saddle amnesia” and order an MRI, they may misdiagnose CES as sciatica or routine back pain. This failure to diagnose can prevent immediate referral to a neurosurgeon who could correctly diagnose and treat cauda equina syndrome.

Consequences of Delayed Diagnosis

Medical negligence in cauda equina cases can result in permanent paralysis or mobility issues, chronic pain and nerve damage, and loss of bladder, bowel, or sexual function. Plaintiffs in these cases may have undergone emergency surgery, and their injuries can require pain management and the need for long-term management of bladder and bowel issues.

Economic strain from paralysis can include costs for home modifications, vocational rehabilitation, and continuous medical supplies.

If the diagnosis was delayed because the healthcare provider failed to meet the applicable standard of care, the injured person can file a medical malpractice case.

Financial Compensation in Cauda Equina Misdiagnosis Cases

If you file a missed or delayed diagnosis cauda equina lawsuit, you can seek compensation for all your injury-related costs and expenses, including:

  • Medical expenses and future medical care
  • Lost income and reduced earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Disability or permanent impairment
  • Loss of consortium
  • PTSD
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

Why Choose Our Indianapolis Cauda Equina Syndrome Misdiagnosis Lawyer

Did your medical provider fail to diagnose your case of CES accurately and provide you with the medical treatment you need? If so, you need the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson to represent you. Our failure to diagnose cauda equina attorney knows how to build a convincing medical negligence case that will highlight your need for compensation and the at-fault party’s liability for having failed to diagnose or misdiagnose your CES. We will treat you with respect, listen to your concerns, and guide you through the legal process of filing a claim or lawsuit to fight for the compensation you deserve for the wrong that was done to you.

From our office in Indianapolis, we represent clients throughout the state. You’ll work with Kelley J. Johnson and her professional legal support team, which includes a registered nurse. Call our medical malpractice lawyer today for your free consultation.